Family is not always defined by blood. It’s defined by those who make us whole—those who make us who we are.

And here, at the end, Bear and Otter will be tested like they’ve never been before.

There’s a knock at the door from a little girl who has nowhere else to go.

There’s a phone ringing, bringing news they do not expect.

There’s a brother returning home after learning how to stand on his own.

As these moments converge, all of their lives will change forever.

Beginning in Bear, Otter, and the Kid, and continuing in Who We Are and The Art of Breathing, TJ Klune has told a saga of family and brotherhood, of love and sacrifice. In this final chapter, the events of the past pave the long and winding road toward a future no one could have imagined.

The Long and Winding Road is the final book of the Bear, Otter, and the Kid Series by TJ Klune. Many of us have been with them on their journey with them for years, and (I think) we’ve all been waiting with anticipation and sadness for this book. We’ve gotten to know and love Bear, Otter, Ty, Dominic, Creed, Anna, and Mrs. Paquin

Spoiler

RIP ♥

and to be honest I’m getting teary just typing their names. I love these characters. Anyways (deep breath), in this last installment we come full circle.

Some of my highlights:

-Narration. I’m an alternating POV junkie, but Klune is one of the exceptions to the rule. The story is told from Bear’s often hilarious POV.

-Character development. We saw a more mature Bear- he saw that’s it not all about him.

-The breakdown. The story is broken down into 3 parts: past, present, and future. I was relieved that nothing felt rehashed. I get annoyed when reading past stories from previous books in a series because it comes across as repetitive. That isn’t the case here; I thought it was handled wonderfully.

-The angst didn’t kill me. LOL, Sometimes Klune makes my stomach physically hurt but not this time around. I still cried but mainly due to nostalgia.

-The story telling. It just suck me in and wrapped me up. I ended up reading the majority of this book overnight until my eyes couldn’t stay open and then I woke up and finished the rest.

I could go on and on. I want to tell you stories of their shenanigans as if I was telling you about a loved ones- well because that’s what this little family has become. I’m not going to though so that you can experience it for yourself.

The Long and Winding Road is bittersweet. I’ll always remember these characters and I will revisit them.

-The Five Boroughs Series by Santino Hassell
-Carry the Ocean by Heidi Cullinan
-BOATK Series by TJ Klune (anything he writes actually)
-Let’s Hear It For The Boy by TA Webb
-A Kind of Truth by Lane Hayes
-Cyberlove Series by Santino Hassell & Megan Erickson